


I'll Dream Of Her Tonight

by shotgunkitten



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, First Meeting, Fluff, Salem is a matchmaker, alternative universe, mortal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26586436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shotgunkitten/pseuds/shotgunkitten
Summary: When Salem comes home with an injury, Sabrina rushes him to the vet. Who she didn't expect was the new veterinarian treating her cat.
Relationships: Nicholas Scratch/Sabrina Spellman
Comments: 35
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> By popular demand (meaning four people 😄) on tumblr, I'm actually posting this. Since we're all still waiting for a release date on part 4 or really any life sign at all, I was in dire need of some mindless, tooth-rotting Nabrina fluff. This is what I ended up with, so I might as well share. I hope you enjoy it!

_I've just seen a face_   
_I can't forget the time or place where we just met_   
_She's just the girl for me and I want all the world to see we've met_   
_Had it been another day, I might have looked the other way_   
_And I'd have never been aware, but as it is, I'll dream of her tonight_

_(The Beatles – I've Just Seen A Face)_

Sabrina sat in the waiting room, Salem’s carrier in her lap. He fixed his eyes on her through the net and meowed, unhappy about being cooped up. 

“I know, but you came home bleeding, Salem, we really need to get this checked out,” she said, the worry clear on her face. She had jumped earlier when she opened the door to the mortuary and Salem had sat there, blood matting his black fur. 

He meowed again. 

“We'll be home soon enough and you’re out of there again. But you can forget about going outside for the next couple of days, you are on house arrest,” she informed him. “You’re lucky we could come over right away.” Sabrina looked at her phone. They had gotten here only five minutes ago, but it already felt longer. 

“You mentioned your cat bleeding, so of course we made the time,” a voice interrupted her conversation with Salem and her head snapped up, slightly embarred that she got caught talking to her cat by a stranger. Said stranger wore a white lab coat and a smile on his – as she couldn’t help but notice – handsome face. “Miss Spellman and Salem, I assume? I’m Dr. Nicholas Scratch.” 

Nick had stood in the doorway to the exam room, amused by the young woman answering her cat’s protests. He had moved to Greendale two weeks ago and so far hadn’t been too impressed with the small town, but he had a feeling that might change. She was gorgeous, her hair a shade he hadn’t seen before, curling a few inches above her shoulders and held in place by a black headband. The small smile on her face made her brown eyes shine and the red lipstick she wore drew his gaze to her lips before he forced himself to look up again. 

“That’s us,” she said, grabbing the cat carrier as she stood. “Everything’s going to be okay,” she mumbled as Salem protested the injustice of his current situation again, unable to help herself. 

“Alright, let’s take a look,” Nick let Sabrina pass and walked into the room behind her, appreciating the view more than he should in this professional setting, and closed the door. 

She sat down the carrier on the exam table and opened it, rolling her eyes when Salem curled up into the far corner. “Oh, come on. Now you suddenly like it in there?” 

Nick laughed. “It’s really weird, exam rooms tend to have that effect on animals.” 

Sabrina huffed. “He should have thought about that before coming home bleeding.” When Salem hooked his claws into the towel she had placed in the carrier to make the trip more comfortable for him, she sighed. “Could you maybe help me? I’ll hold Salem and you take the carrier?” She bit her lower lip, unhappy about needing to ask. 

“Sure,” he nodded, stepping up beside her. He watched as she reached into the carrier with both hands, the cat protesting again as she carefully grabbed him, and then carefully maneuvered the carrier away. Salem pressed himself down on the table, almost as if he was trying to melt into the surface as Sabrina gently extricated the towel from his claws and moved it aside. Now that he got a good look at the cat, Nick spotted the injury on Salem’s ear immediately. “I need to clean his ear to see the damage. Can you hold him still? He’s not going to like that very much.” 

“Of course, just tell me what you need me to do.” Her worried gaze was fixed on her cat again. There was dried blood in his fur, but his ear was still glistening. 

“Just hold onto him.” His arm brushed against hers as he worked to clean the blood away from the injury, Sabrina holding onto Salem as he squirmed on the table. Nick looked at her from the corner of his eye at the contact, but her focus was entirely on her cat. “So, this looks like his prey fought back. My best bet would be that he tried to take down a rat,” he finally said. 

Sabrina sighed. “We live close to the woods, so I guess that’s a possibility,” she answered, her fingers gently brushing over Salem’s back to keep him calm while she held him still with the other hand. 

Nick leaned down a bit, shining a light to further assess the damage. Sabrina could smell his cologne due to their proximity and found that she liked it, but forced herself to pay attention. Definitely not the time for that. “The tip of his ear is split. Whatever it was, it gave as good as it got.” 

“What?” She leaned in as well, wanting to confirm what she just heard with her own eyes. “Poor Salem,” she mumbled when she saw the damage. The cut thankfully wasn’t long, but the very tip of his ear was, in fact, split. “Will it grow back together?” 

Nick watched her as she looked at Salem’s ear, all while still gently petting him. He noticed her long lashes, the soft blush on her cheeks and how plump her lips were. He shook his head. He needed to concentrate on his patient, not the owner. No matter how cute she was. “There’s no guarantee for that. It might, but there’s also the possibility that it stays split. But even if it does, that’s not going to cause him any problems. It’ll just make him look like a troublemaker.” Nick was glad when he saw a small smile curve her lips upwards. 

“Then his looks would at least finally match his personality, at least according to my cousin,” she answered. “So, now what?” 

“Since we don’t know what he fought with, I’ll give him a shot, just to be safe. And I’ll give you a salve that should stop the cut from getting inflamed. Just a tiny amount twice a day for the next few days. It’s probably easiest if you apply it when Salem sleeps so he doesn’t just immediately clean his ear and take it all off again.” The vet smiled as she eagerly nodded. He had a feeling that Salem would be treated like a king over the next few days. 

“So … I’ve come here with Salem since I got him five years ago, but I’ve never seen you here before,” Sabrina said as Nick went to prepare the shot. 

“I only moved to Greendale a few weeks ago,” he explained. “Doctor Philipps plans to retire next year, so he was looking for someone to take over the practice. He wanted to take his time with handing everything over, let people get used to the new guy taking care of their pets.” 

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said quickly, biting her lip. She felt heat rise in her cheeks. “I mean … for Salem’s sake, obviously, but driving to Riverdale every time would have been a pain, too,” she rushed to explain. 

Nick was glad that he had his back turned to her so she couldn’t see the smile on his face. He forced himself to look professional as the turned around again. “I’m glad I took the position. I think I’m going to like it here.” He couldn’t help it, the smile returned as he looked at her, the blush still present on her cheeks. 

He quickly gave Salem the shot and further instructions to Sabrina, what to watch out for and how to best apply the salve. Once Salem was back in his carrier, not without sending a glare in Nick’s direction, he looked at Sabrina again. 

“I’d like to take a look at that ear again next week, see how it’s healing.” The prospect of seeing her again didn’t hurt, either. 

“Sure, I’ll make an appointment with Elspeth on my way out,” she answered. “Thanks for seeing Salem so quickly, Dr. Scratch.” 

He smiled. “You were lucky, today was pretty quiet.” 

“Still, I was really worried. There was so much blood on the porch and even on the front door, it looked like he’d gotten into a fight with Jason Vorhees,” Sabrina said. 

Nick laughed and looked at the cat carrier. “Professional recommendation: Stay away from lunatics with weapons, Salem.” The brilliant smile that bloomed on her face made his stomach clench in the best way. “I’ll see you next week, then?” 

“We’ll be here,” she answered. 

Nick couldn’t help but notice how perfectly her small hand fit into his as she shook it.   
  


*****************  
  
**

A week later, Sabrina was back in the waiting room, fidgeting in her chair, Salem in his carrier on the chair next to her as she waited for the door to the exam room to open. When her worry for Salem had ebbed away, she had a hard time explaining to herself why her thoughts kept going back to a certain dark-haired veterinarian she had only met once. As the check-up appointment came closer, she couldn’t deny that she was looking forward to seeing him again. 

When Nick checked the calendar and saw the next appointment, he smiled to himself. Over the last week, his thoughts had kept going back to the pretty girl with hair the same color as the moon and her black cat. He combed his hand through his hair, trying to fix his appearance a bit before opening the door. „Miss Spellman,” he said, a gentle smile on his face as she looked at him. 

„Hi, Dr. Scratch,” she replied, picking up Salem. 

„How has our patient been doing?” He followed her into the room and closed the door. 

„Oh, he refused to look at me for the rest of the day once we got home, but other than that, he was really good,” Sabrina answered, grinning as Nick laughed. 

„I bet that little grudge vanished once it was time for dinner.” 

„Oh, no. One of my aunts got there first, so I was still very much in the dog house,” she said, shaking her head. 

Nick found that the smile on her face as she told the story lit up the whole room and he wanted to see more of it. 

„Let’s get him out of there and see how he’s healing up.” 

Nick checked the ear and was happy to tell Sabrina that everything looked good and Salem’s ear was healing nicely, but the tip would remain split. Once The cat was back in his carrier, Nick cleared his throat. 

„We won’t need another check-up, everything should be fine, Miss Spellman,” he explained, noting how Sabrina bit her bottom lip at his words. He rubbed the back of his neck. „Okay, I hope this isn't too forward or awkward, but I’d like to see more of Salem in the future. And especially of his owner.” 

Sabrina has been looking at Salem, but her eyes snapped up at that. „Are you asking me out?” 

„Hoping that I read that comment correctly when you were here last week, I was wondering if you’d like to go to that horror double feature at the cinema with me this weekend? We could get something to eat first, but I’d have to count on you for food recommendations,” he said, a hopeful smile on his face. 

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep her facial features in check. “I’ll go on one condition.” 

He raised his eyebrow. “What would that be?” 

She grinned. “You call me Sabrina. Miss Spellman are both of my aunts.” 

“Only if you call me Nick,” he answered. 

“I can do that. Nick,” Sabrina said, testing out his name. 

He liked how it sounded on her lips more than he was willing to admit. 

“So, can I get your number, Sabrina? So we can work out the details,” he said, suddenly feeling like a teenager again who asked a pretty girl for her number for the first time. 

“Sure,” she nodded. “Do you have a piece of paper?” 

Nick reached into his pocket for his phone and opened a new contact before holding it out for her. “More convenient.” 

Sabrina took the phone and added her details, smiling to herself, before handing it back to him. He laughed when he saw that she had saved her number as _Sabrina_ _Spellman + Salem_ , suddenly understanding why she had been smiling. 

“I’ll text you tonight,” he promised. 

"I'm looking forward to it."

True to his word, he texted her that night - and every day leading up to their date, checking in on her but also on Salem. Ambrose kept teasing her about the goofy grin she got whenever Nick's name popped up on her phone display, but she didn't care.  
  


*******************   
  


”So, just to get this straight, the younger one of your two aunts is married to the owner of that bookshop-slash-diner where we had dinner but also helps out at the mortuary?” Nick asked as they walked up to the steps of Sabrina’s home, her hand in his. 

“I know, it’s a weird mix,” she conceded. 

He shrugged. “Not really. She deals with dead people here and hands out death by sugar shock in form of those milkshakes there.” 

Sabrina laughed. “I never thought about it like that before. But what a way to go.” When they reached the stairs, she climbed the first step, turning to look at Nick. “I had a lot of fun tonight.” 

“Me, too,” he answered, smiling. Her on the first step put her at the perfect height for kissing and he couldn’t stop his eyes drift to her red lips for a moment before he forced himself to look into her eyes again. “I’d like to do this again soon.” 

She smiled brightly at that. “I’d like that, too.” Sabrina brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and looked over her shoulder in the direction of the front door. “I should probably get inside, it’s getting late.” They had taken a short walk after the movies, Sabrina explaining to Nick what he needed to know about Greendale. 

“It is,” he agreed, stepping closer. “I hope this isn’t too soon, but … can I kiss you goodnight? It's okay if you say no, I don't want to rush you into anything you might feel uncomfortable with.” 

The almost hopeful look on his face nearly did her in, and she found his nervous rambling endearing. “I’d like that a lot,” she quietly said, a small smile on her face. 

Nick leaned in and softly brushed his lips against hers. He could still taste the popcorn they had shared on her lips, remembering how their hands had brushed against each other once in a while and the small smiles they traded when it happened. At one point he had put his arm on the back of her seat, happy when she shifted closer, slightly leaning into him. Sabrina loosely put her arms around his neck and he put his hands on her hips, drawing her closer as their kiss deepened when she sighed against his lips, a content little sound that he definitely wanted to hear a lot more of in the future. 

He leaned his forehead against hers when they broke apart, matching smiles on their faces. After a second quick kiss, this one initiated by Sabrina, he let go of her, even if he didn’t want to. “Goodnight, Sabrina.” 

Her eyes shone as she smiled, still a bit out of breath from their kiss. “Goodnight, Nick.” 

He watched her climb the stairs and waited until the door closed behind her before he left, a happy smile on his face as he turned around and walked to his car. He was definitely going to like it in Greendale, even more so if Sabrina kept kissing him like that. Nick was sure that he would be dreaming of her tonight. 

Sabrina leaned back against the door, a giddy smile on her face. She spotted Salem on the stairs that led to the first floor and pushed herself off the door and picked up her cat, who protested as she twirled around, grinning. “Thanks for picking that fight, Salem,” she said, grinning. “I see a lot of tuna and salmon in your future.” 


	2. Band Aid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> Turns out I have no chill and can't leave a one shot alone - and since you seemed to have enjoyed veterinarian Nick, here's another little glimpse at this AU. 
> 
> Matchmaker Salem is a drama king in this one. So there's a little angst, but this is fluff first and foremost, so don't worry!

_There's something about you_   
_That's like the sun_   
_You warm up my_ _heart_   
_When_ _I come undone_

_(Pixie Lott – Band Aid)_

Nick was already in bed, telling himself that he’d just finish this chapter of the book he was reading before going to sleep, when his phone vibrated on the nightstand. He picked it up and smiled when he saw Sabrina’s name on the display. They’d officially had their third date a few nights ago and he was confident that things were getting serious between them. He certainly wanted them to. The fact that they met during their lunch breaks more days than not, holding hands and kissing whenever they could, seemed to be in his favor. 

“Hey Spellman,” he greeted, answering the phone, still smiling. Nick frowned when he heard a sniffle before she said a word. 

“Nick, I know it’s late and I’m so sorry for calling, but can you please come over? I think Salem gnawed on the lilies we had delivered for a service tomorrow and he’s lying on the kitchen floor, meowing and whining and he looks like he’s in pain,” she rambled. 

He was already on his feet, the book forgotten on the empty side of his bed. “Of course. I’ll have to run by the practice to grab some things, but I’ll be there as soon as I can, I promise.” 

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

“Everything’s going to be okay. I’ll see you soon,” he promised, sounding more confident than he was. If Salem really got into the lilies, this was going to be a serious problem which might not end well, after all. Nick didn’t want to think about that possible outcome. He put on the next best clothes, which turned out to be the sweatpants and wrinkled t-shirt he had worn earlier, grabbed the small emergency case he kept at home and left, stopping at the practice and then rushing over to the mortuary. A man in a brightly colored silk robe was already waiting for him on the porch. 

“Sabrina told me to wait for you,” the man said, eyeing him up and down. “I’m her cousin Ambrose,” he added. 

“Nick Scratch,” he introduced himself, keeping to himself that he had already known who Ambrose was. Sabrina had told him about her family and shows him pictures so he could put faces to the names in her stories. “So, where’s the patient?” 

“In the kitchen, Sabrina won’t let him out of her sight,” Ambrose said, motioning for Nick to follow him. 

Nick forced himself to follow Ambrose and not let his eyes wander as he walked into the mortuary for the first time, the old Victorian house brimming with details. There’d hopefully be another time for that. 

“Nick!” Sabrina jumped to her feet when she saw him and greeted him with a short kiss, not caring that her cousin was watching. “Thank God you’re here.” 

“Of course.” He pulled her into a hug, holding her close to him for a moment and pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her head, attempting to calm her at least a little bit. Nervous energy was radiating off of her in waves and he had seen that her eyes were a little puffy. He hated the thought of her crying. Nick spotted Salem on the blanket Sabrina had spread out on the kitchen floor and let go of her. “Why do you think he got into the lilies?” 

“There are bite marks on one of the flowers,” Sabrina explained as Nick sat down on the floor. 

“Can I see it?” Nick wanted to see those bite marks – since Sabrina hadn’t mentioned any vomiting and Salem wasn’t displaying any of the other textbook symptoms, he was cautiously optimistic that the black cat hadn’t eaten the toxic plant after all, despite his current state. 

“I’ll get it,” Ambrose offered and left the kitchen, his silk robe billowing after him. 

Nick couldn’t help himself, he chuckled. “You weren’t kidding when you mentioned your cousin’s slightly eccentric taste in clothes.” He opened his case and took out a small vial and a needle. “I’ll take some blood and run it by the lab first thing in the morning,” he explained, scratching the pitifully meowing cat under the chin. He’d do everything to save the cat that meant so much to the woman he was falling hard and fast for. 

Ambrose returned with the flower and handed it to Nick, who looked at the bite marks, carefully turning it around in his hands so he didn’t miss anything. 

“These marks don’t look fresh, that could be a good thing. When did you get the flowers delivered?” Nick asked, looking at Sabrina. 

“I’m not sure. Ambrose?” 

“I was down in the morgue, one of the aunties accepted the delivery. I’ll wake them up.” 

Sabrina sat down on the floor with Salem, gently petting his back. “Why did you say the bites not looking fresh could be a good thing?” 

Nick put the lily on the kitchen counter and went to the sink to wash his hands. “Depending on when the flowers were delivered, it would mean that it wasn’t Salem. The edges look dried up, so this happened more than just a few hours ago. And his symptoms don’t really match lily poisoning.” He dried his hands. “I’m still going to take a little blood to make sure. And I’m going to give him something that will make him throw up, maybe he ate something else outside he shouldn’t have. It’s not going to be pleasant for him, but lilies … I just don’t want to take the risk.” 

Nick looked down at her on the floor, her focus completely on her whining cat, worry lining her face. He didn’t have the heart to ask her to move Salem to the table, he could work on the floor, he decided, as he sat down. 

“I don’t get why they didn’t immediately take care of the lilies when they arrived. Everyone knows how dangerous they are to cats,” Sabrina mumbled, stroking along Salem’s side. 

Nick put his hand over hers. “Let’s hope it’s something else, okay? And even if he got to the lilies, I promise you, I’m going to do everything I can. I know how much you love him.” 

She looked up at him with a watery smile. “Thank you, Nick. That means a lot.” Sabrina leaned over and kissed him, trying to convey her gratitude. 

When he pulled back, he smiled. “You don’t have to thank me,” he said, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear before busying himself with the vial and needle. “Can you hold him still when I take the blood?” 

“Of course. But I don’t think he’d put up much of a fight anyway at the moment.” 

Nick considered the cat. “Probably not.” He quickly got to work and saw Sabrina flinch at Salem’s protest when the needle pierced his skin. “Sorry, buddy,” he mumbled. He stowed the blood sample and grabbed a syringe. “This will make him vomit,” he explained to Sabrina, who nodded and held Salem still again. Nick got up again and started packing up his case. He was about to stow the empty syringe to take back to the practice the next morning for safe disposal when he heard Ambrose and who he assumed where Sabrina’s aunts. “You know, this isn’t how I thought I’d meet your family for the first time.” 

She sighed. “Yeah, tell me about it.” The idea that he had, in fact, thought about how he’d meet her family warmed her up from the inside. 

“Do they … I mean, did you mention to them that we’ve been going out?” Nick didn’t like the thought of getting caught off guard. 

Sabrina nodded. “They know. There’s no way I could have kept it from them, anyway.” Not with how happy she’d been since their movie date. “And Ambrose saw us kiss earlier, so that cat’s out of the bag either way.” 

“Would someone mind explaining to me what is going on?” Zelda asked, clearly unhappy about having been woken up. Her red curls framed her frown as she pulled her robe closer. 

Hilda spotted her niece on the floor with Salem. “Oh no, what happened?” She then looked at the young man standing in her kitchen, packing up medical supplies. “And you are …?” 

“Didn’t you tell them, Ambrose?” Sabrina asked. “That’s Nick, aunty. He’s the new vet who treated Salem’s ear a few weeks ago.” 

“And who had Sabrina in such a good mood ever since,” Ambrose supplied, earning himself a glare from his cousin. 

Nick wiped his hands on his pants, suddenly very aware that he was in sweatpants and a wrinkled t-shirt. _Great first impression there, Scratch_ , he thought. Nothing to do about that now. “Nicholas Scratch,” he introduced himself, holding out his hand to Hilda, who shook it with a tired smile, and Zelda, who surprised him with a firm grip. 

“That’s all very nice, but why did Ambrose wake us up again?” Zelda asked, eyeing the young veterinarian. Her niece’s taste had certainly improved since dating the Kinkle boy. 

“Aunties, this is really important. When were the flower arrangements delivered? Salem might have nibbled on one of the lilies,” Sabrina explained. 

“Oh dear,” Hilda breathed. 

“This morning, you were barely out of the house,” Zelda said immediately, gazing down at the cat. The presence of her niece’s dalliance in their kitchen suddenly made sense. 

Nick took a deep breath. “That’s good news, Sabrina. If Salem had taken those bites, he should have shown symptoms a lot earlier.” Without giving it a second thought, he sat down next to her on the floor and wrapped his arm around her. 

She leaned into him, glad for the support and warmth his solid form provided. “But then why is he like this?” Her hand was still buried in Salem’s fur. 

“We’ll know more tomorrow from that blood sample. And we’ll just have to wait and see what he coughs up once that injection takes effect, literally,” he answered, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. 

Neither noticed the look Sabrina’s aunts exchanged as they watched them. 

“I hate waiting,” Sabrina mumbled. 

“I know,” he said with a fond smile, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. That much had already been clear on their first date when she had fidgeted in her seat at the cinema through the commercials, waiting for the previews to start. Nick had found it adorable and had to stop himself from kissing he right there and then. 

Hilda cleared her throat, reminding them that they weren’t alone. “Well, if we’re waiting, I’m going to make some tea,” she said stepping around the blanket and busying herself with boiling water as Zelda and Ambrose sat down at the kitchen table. 

“Get off the floor, Sabrina,” Zelda said, unable to stop the sigh when she saw her niece shake her head. Stubborn child. 

“I’m staying with Salem,” she declared. 

“And you’re condemning Dr. Scratch to sitting on the floor, too”, her aunt replied. 

“I don’t mind,” Nick answered. “And please, call me Nick or Nicholas? I stop being Dr. Scratch when I leave the practice at the end of the day.” The truth was that he felt uncomfortable being referred to by his title when he was sitting on their kitchen floor in the middle of the night, essentially cuddling with their niece. 

“Suit yourself, then,” Zelda answered, looking at them. She had to admit that they created a nice picture and she liked the fact that he had rushed over the second Sabrina had called him. “How long have you been in Greendale, Nicholas?” 

“I moved here about five weeks ago,” he said, surprising himself. Had it really only been a few weeks? It definitely felt longer. But the stress of moving and starting a new job were probably to blame for that. Adding the woman in his arms to the mix had most likely done the rest to warp his sense of time, even if it was in the best way. 

“How do you like it here so far?” Hilda asked as she grabbed some mugs. 

Nick smiled, looking at Sabrina. “I like it a lot.” His smile grew when he saw her blush a little. “Sabrina has been my tour guide, showing me around the most important places, including Cerberus Books.” 

“Oh, that’s right, Cee mentioned seeing you two there,” she remembered. Hilda also recalled that her husband had called the man her niece was with absolutely smitten, unable to take his eyes off of her – and Sabrina practically glowing with happiness as they held hands while they talked, waiting for their order. Looking at them now, even under the current circumstances, she could imagine what they might have looked like. 

“Where did you go to school?” Zelda asked. 

“Aunt Zee!” Sabrina exclaimed. This was starting to turn into an interrogation. 

“It’s okay, Sabrina,” Nick said before turning his attention to her aunt. “I went to Yale.” It wasn’t exactly something to be ashamed off. 

Zelda raised an eyebrow. “Impressive,” she commented. “Certainly a few steps up from a miner’s son.” 

“Oh God,” the young blonde rubbed a hand over her face in embarrassment. 

“Zelds, there was nothing wrong with sweet Harvey,” Hilda chided. 

Ambrose laughed at the confusion on Nick’s face. “They are talking about Harvey Kinkle, Sabrina’s high school sweetheart.” 

“We broke up years ago, can we please drop it?” Sabrina asked, pursing her lips. Salem meowed again pitifully and she sighed, gently scratching his belly. “Besides, Harvey and Roz are happily married, so I don’t get why you even brought him up.” She accepted a mug of tea from Hilda, who was currently definitely her favorite aunt, with a mumbled thanks. 

“We really shouldn’t be talking about Kinkle,” Ambrose agreed. At the surprised look on Sabrina’s face, he grinned. “Not when the guy who is the reason Salem has been living his best life for weeks now is sitting right here.” He smirked when his cousin narrowed her eyes. 

“Has he now?” Nick asked, a teasing smile on his face as well as he looked at Sabrina. 

“She’s been spoiling the little beast rotten,” the other man confirmed. “Ever since you took her to that double feature, he’s been swimming in his favorite food.” 

Sabrina wanted the earth to swallow her whole. She hid behind her mug, taking small sips from the piping hot beverage. Nick pulled her a bit closer and she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. 

“I would have done the same if my pet had been the reason we met,” he declared, happy about the small smile forming on her face. 

Hilda, out of sight behind the two of them, pressed her hand to her heart as she looked at them, making Zelda roll her eyes at the dramatics. He knew which buttons to push, she had to give him that. 

Salem suddenly started to move, scrambling to his feet as he started to retch. Sabrina looked alarmed and put her tea down, ready to jump into action. Nick’s arm around her shoulders kept her grounded. 

“There’s nothing you can do right now,” he said, as if reading her mind. 

After what felt like an eternity, Salem finally managed to get whatever he had been troubled with up, the sound of his gagging finally subsiding. 

“This is disgusting,” Ambrose declared, leaving the kitchen. Sabrina shook her head at her cousin. He could work on dead bodies all day, but this was too much for him? 

“I think that was a mouse at some point, and that looks like a blade of grass,” Nick said, unfazed. He’d seen a lot worse. “I can’t see anything that might have been a lily, though.” He smiled at Sabrina. “That’s good.” 

She sank against him, her head resting on his shoulder. “I’m still a little worried, but that’s comforting.” 

Nick pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

Salem, a lot more alert all of the sudden, walked over to the bowl that held his kibble and soon enough, the kitchen was filled with the crunching sounds of the cat munching on the dry food. 

“What …” Sabrina started, unable to finish her sentence. How? Salem had looked and sounded like he was on his deathbed not ten minutes ago. 

“Let him. It’s a good sign that he wants to eat,” Nick said, breathing a little easier with each passing moment. 

“It looks like your cat has the same knack for dramatics as you, Sabrina,” Zelda said, looking at the black cat with an almost amused look on her face before looking at the pair still sitting on the floor. “Since I expect to see you around here more often, might I suggest you coming over for dinner this week, Nicholas, so we can properly meet without the drama?” 

Nick blinked, surprised. “Uhm, sure, thanks for the invitation.” 

“No more interrogation though, aunty,” Sabrina warned her. 

Zelda dismissed her words with the wave of her hand. “Since Salem seems to be fine for now, I’m going back to bed. I suggest you do the same. It was nice meeting you, Nicholas, if a bit unconventional.” She left them staring after her, Sabrina shaking her head. 

“Don’t mind her, Nicholas, she’s just grumpy that she had to get up again,” Hilda explained, even if she knew that it was a little white lie. But she had a feeling that the young man still holding her niece would be around enough to quickly realize that this was just the way her sister was, for better or worse. “But Zelda has the right idea, I’m heading back to bed, too. I have to open the shop tomorrow since Cee is at a conference.” She smiled at Nick. “It was nice meeting you. Since you’ll be joining us for dinner, please let Sabrina know if there’s something you’d like me to make?” 

Sabrina smiled at her aunt. “Aunt Hilda’s food is the best you’ll ever get,” she explained. 

“Please, don’t trouble yourself on my account,” Nick answered. “It was nice meeting you, too. I just would have liked a different occasion better.” He looked over at Salem, who was still busy cleaning out his bowl. 

“Oh well, it is what it is. Good night, you two, enjoy your tea,” Hilda said, taking the lily from the counter on her way out to put it back where it belonged – out of Salem’s reach. 

After a few moments, Nick took a deep breath. “So … those were your aunts.” 

Sabrina nodded. “That’s them. Thinking of running for the hills yet?” 

He smiled. “And leave you behind? No way.” Nick leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips, something he hadn’t dared while the entire rest of her family had been present. She hummed into the kiss. 

“Good answer,” she mumbled against his lips before kissing him again. 

When they broke apart, Nick leaned his forehead against hers. “I know that I should get going, but I don’t want to yet,” he confessed. 

“I don’t want you to leave yet, either,” Sabrina said, “do you think we can leave Salem alone and move to the parlor?” 

He looked over at the cat who had stopped eating and was now looking at them. “He’ll be okay.” 

Sabrina got up and held her hand out to him. Once he was on his feet, she quickly cleaned up the mess Salem had made and washed her hands while Nick folded up the blanket, earning him another small smile. He grabbed his emergency case and followed her, dropping it on the small table in the entrance area on the way to the living room. 

Sabrina placed their mugs on the table as she sat down, waiting for Nick to join her. As soon as he did, she climbed in his lap, straddling him and grinning at the surprised look on his face. 

His hands went to her hips on their own accord as she loosely wrapped her arms around his neck. “I think I like where this is going,” he commented. 

“Oh, I’m sure you do,” she answered, leaning in to kiss him. Sabrina smiled against his lips when he groaned as she pressed herself closer to him. 

Now that the whole situation was under control, Nick was finally able to appreciate the shorts and thin top she wore. Sabrina had obviously been on her way to bed, too, when she had found Salem. He deepened the kiss and let his thumb slide under the hem of her top, gently brushing over the soft skin there. He knew that this wouldn’t lead anywhere, not with them being in the living room and her whole family in the house, but he still enjoyed the little sound of approval the touch drew from her. 

When they broke apart for air, his lips found her neck, making her gasp at the contact. Sabrina tilted her head to the side, giving him more room. “You came,” she mumbled. “I called you and you came, no questions asked,” she breathed, biting her lower lip when he found a particularly sensitive spot. 

Nick drew back a little, chuckling when he saw her pouting. “Of course I came. Anything for you, Spellman. Or your cat,” he added. 

Sabrina kissed him hard in response, burying a hand in his dark curls, tousling them further. Nick chased her lips when she broke the kiss. 

“Sabrina?” Nick asked, holding her gaze. “Be my girlfriend?” They hadn’t put a label to their relationship yet, but Nick felt they were more than ready. 

She beamed at him, kissing him again before answering with words. “I’d love that,” she mumbled against his mouth, not willing to fully pull away. 

They sat for a while longer, exchanging kisses and smiles, until the big clock on the wall reminded them that it was one o’clock in the morning. Reluctantly, they got off the couch and Sabrina led him to the door. What was meant as an innocent kiss goodnight ended with her pressed up against the door, one of her hands in Nick’s hair, the other fisting his shirt for support, his under the hem of her top as he kissed her senseless and held her close. 

“See you tomorrow for lunch?” He asked between kisses. 

“12 at Cee’s?” She suggested. 

“Perfect.” Nick forced himself to break away from the kiss, unable to stop himself from smiling. Sabrina looked like she had been thoroughly kissed, her lips slightly swollen, her hair messy, her eyes slightly glazed over. He didn’t want to stop, but he knew that he had to get home. He placed another soft peck on her lips. “Goodnight, Spellman,” he said and grabbed the emergency case. 

“Text me when you’re home?” Sabrina asked. 

“Of course. See you tomorrow.” 

She watched as he climbed in his car and drove away before closing the front door. Sabrina dumped the by now cold tea down the sink and picked up her phone before going upstairs. She had just gotten under the covers when a text message popped up. 

**Nick [1:36 AM]**   
_Sweet dreams, girlfriend_

Sabrina’s heart beat faster at the label and she couldn’t contain a tiny squeal. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so giddy about someone, but Nick ... she hadn't expected him, hadn't been looking for a relationship. And he had completely turned her life on its head in the best way possible. 

**Sabrina [1:37 AM]**   
_Sleep tight, boyfriend. See you later_

Her message was accompanied by a photo of Salem, who had curled up at the end of her bed. Sabrina ran her hand through his dark fur again, eliciting a purr. Everything was going to be okay. 

Nick confirmed the same thing when they met the next day for lunch, earning him a sound kiss over the table and a brilliant smile. He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together, matching smiles on their faces as they talked. 

Hilda stood behind the counter, watching them with a fond smile. Cee hadn’t been exaggerating: they really were radiating so much happiness that it was contagious. Hilda had never seen her niece like this and it didn’t take a genius to realize that they would be seeing a lot more of Nick in the future. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to say hi, find me on tumblr! I go by shotgunkitten over there as well :-)


	3. You Belong With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ... I guess vet!Nick really is a big hit :-D I honestly wasn't expecting that when I posted the first one shot. So thanks for all the lovely comments on this!
> 
> This one got a bit away from me when I set out to write it. I hope you'll still enjoy it, though!

_I believe it's meant to be, darling_  
 _I watch you when you are sleeping_  
 _You belong with me_  
 _Do you feel the same_  
 _Am I only dreaming_  
 _Or is this burning an eternal flame_

_(The Bangles – Eternal Flame)_

Sabrina lay on the couch, looking at the elaborate ceiling of the parlor. She was officially bored out of her mind. Her entire family was gone, Roz and Harvey were on vacation, Theo was busy on the farm and Nick had to work late, sort out some paperwork that had been neglected for too long. She had tried watching a movie, reading a book, even sorted the bookshelf after realizing it was a mess – but nothing helped. 

She looked at her phone, biting her lip. She knew she shouldn’t call. He was busy with work. But she missed him. Before overthinking it further, Sabrina grabbed her phone, smiling when the display lit up. Her lock screen was a picture of them, taken by Roz. She had introduced Nick to her friends the weekend before when they had decided to go for a picknick in Greendale’s small park. 

It had gone well, Roz later texting up a storm because she wanted to know more than she had been able to ask. She had also sent over the picture Sabrina had instantly made her new screensaver. Nick was leaning back against a tree with her sitting between his legs, leaning back against him, his arms holding her close and her hands covering his. They were smiling at each other, lost in their own little world for a moment. She loved that photo. 

Sabrina unlocked her phone and called Nick. He answered almost instantly. “Hey, babe.” 

She smiled at the pet name. “Hey, you. How is the paperwork going?” 

He groaned. “I’m going to hire someone for this the second I can.” 

Sabrina chuckled. “Poor you. I guess that means a little distraction is out of the question?” 

“What did you have in mind?” Nick sounded eager to get away from his paperwork. 

She took a deep breath. “You know, I was going to ask if you wanted to come over. Hilda and Cee are out, celebrating the anniversary of their first date. Zelda is at that Fall Festival committee meeting and Ambrose … I’m not sure I want to know what or who he’s doing. So I have this big, empty house all to myself and I thought maybe my boyfriend wanted to come over. But if you’re busy …" 

Sabrina could hear the smile in his voice when he answered. “Sneaking over to see my girlfriend when her family’s not home as if we were still 16 and in high school? Sounds tempting.” 

She laughed. “Well, if you come over, I might even let you take my shirt off of me,” she suggested, playing into his high school image. 

He shuffled with some papers. “Screw this paperwork, I’ll be over in ten.” 

Sabrina smiled. “See you soon.” They hung up and she put her phone back on the table, laughing. It was ridiculous, really, how happy Nick made her. 

True to his word, Nick rang the doorbell ten minutes later. When Sabrina opened the door, he was leaning against the doorframe, trying and failing to look cool. Failing because a wide smile spread over his face as soon as he saw her. 

“Hi,” she greeted with a matching smile and stepped aside to let him in. 

“Hey,” he answered. As soon as the door closed behind him, Nick pulled Sabrina flush against him and kissed her soundly, enjoying the way how she went from surprise to melting against him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I missed you,” he mumbled against her lips, unwilling to pull away just yet. 

“I missed you, too,” Sabrina said, drawing him back in for another kiss. They had both been too busy to meet up for lunch like they usually did and it had just felt wrong, their shared lunch breaks had become a daily routine for them by now. 

Nick broke the kiss with a grin when he felt something brush against his leg. “Hi Salem,” he greeted the cat. He let go of Sabrina to take off his jacket and put it on the coat rack. 

“You know, that’s not very ‘sneaking over to see your girlfriend’,” she pointed out. 

“Neither is my car in the driveway,” he reminded her. 

Sabrina shrugged. “Good point. But anyway, how serious were about that whole ‘like we’re still in high school’ thing?” She took his hand and bit her bottom lip as she looked at him. 

“I think the only right answer here is that I was pretty serious about that.” He didn’t know what was going through her mind, but he’d play along. Especially with the way she was looking at him. 

“Then follow me,” she said, slowly leading him to the staircase that would take them to the upper levels of the house. 

He didn’t argue, instead grinning at the way her hips swayed just a little more than usual as she walked in front of him, something he had no doubt was entirely on purpose. “Where are you taking me, Spellman?” 

Sabrina looked at him over her shoulder. “My room, obviously. Try to keep up, Nick,” she quipped. 

When they had reached the stairs and she stood on the first one, he stopped her with a gentle tug of his hand. She turned around, about to ask what was going on, but Nick pulled her into a searing kiss, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other hand buried in her platinum blonde curls. Memories of their first kiss flooded Sabrina at their whereabouts and her toes curled at the intensity of his lips against hers. Once they broke apart, Nick rested his forehead against hers, both of them slightly panting. “I’m keeping up, don’t worry.” 

“Good,” was all she could say before stealing another small kiss, smiling as she felt him grin. Sabrina pulled away and took another step up. “Come on.” 

When they reached her room, she let go of his room and sat down on her bed, happy to watch as he let his gaze wander, taking in all the things she had accumulated over the years. Nick picked up the wedding photo of her parents that stood on her vanity. “You look a lot like your mom,” he noted after a moment. “Except for the hair.” 

“Nobody knows where that came from. I mean, you know my aunts, and my dad’s hair was this really dark brown … I really shouldn’t have this hair color, all things considered,” Sabrina said, picking at her light hair. 

He put the photo down and walked up to her. “Well, I like it. It’s sexy.” The smirk he sent her way made her roll her eyes. 

“If you say so.” 

Nick answered her by leaning down and placing a long, slow kiss on her lips that left her wanting more. 

“Shoes off,” Sabrina mumbled against his lips before kissing him again, her hand sneaking over his shoulder to the back of his neck. 

He did as he was told, toeing his shoes off before gently pushing Sabrina onto her back. She pulled him down with her, her hand tangled in his dark curls. “So this is what you called me here for,” he said, his lips brushing over the soft skin of her neck. 

“Not just this. Are you complaining?” 

Nick playfully nipped at her neck, making her laugh. “Wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, I was lured here by the promise of taking your shirt off of you,” he reminded her. 

Sabrina pushed herself further up on the bed, leaning back against her pillows. “If you play your cards right, maybe,” she teased. 

He followed her, his lips on hers again as soon as he reached her. Nick smiled into the kiss as she shifted closer, looking for more contact. His hand went to her hip and he slowly dragged it up, her shirt riding up a little in the process. 

She broke the kiss, a wicked smile on her face. “Not so fast, Scratch,” the blonde said. She started playing with the buttons of his Henley – the black one he had worn under the white coat the first time she saw him and that did him all kinds of favors. “If I’m supposed to take my shirt off, it's only fair if you do the same.” 

“You’re right, it’s only fair,” he agreed, sitting up and pulling his shirt over his head in one motion, carelessly dropping it to the floor next to the bed. 

Sabrina let her gaze roam. She had certainly felt the definition of his torso before, but seeing it was something entirely different. She noted a small tattoo on the left side of his ribcage and reached out, dragging her fingertips over the black ink – two interwoven letters. “What’s this?” 

A small, melancholic smile appeared on his face. “My parents’ initials. I mean, technically, one of them is mine, too, but …" 

Sabrina traced the letters, holding her breath. They had talked about their families on their second date, discovering that they had the lack of parents in common. They had quickly changed the subject then, neither wanting to ruin the date. “What were their names?” 

“Nicholas and Elizabeth.” When she looked up at him, he covered her hand with his. “The name gets passed down in the Scratch family. I know that some people find it strange, but I’m glad. Makes me feel closer to him.” 

“I don’t think it’s weird. My middle name is Diana, after my mom. I know exactly what you mean,” she said. 

Nick sank into the cushions next to her, gently tugging Sabrina into his side. “Hang on,” she stopped him. When he raised an eyebrow, she sat up and started pulling her own shirt up, but somehow managed to tangle herself in the fabric. “Dammit … a little help?” she asked, her tone indicating how unhappy she was about the situation. He chuckled, sitting up again to help her out of her shirt. When she was finally free, her hair was slightly tousled and she pouted. “That was really sexy,” she muttered under her breath, tossing her shirt to the floor where it joined his. 

“Definitely sexy,” he answered, unable to stop his gaze from roaming as he lay back again. “Now come here,” he asked, reaching out to her. 

Sabrina snuggled into his side, high enough so she could kiss him again. Soon enough, Nick flipped them over, both their hands wandering, familiarizing themselves with one another. She couldn’t stop the small moan in the form of his name that escaped her when his lips drift down her neck to her collarbone. 

He froze at the sound, looking up. Her eyes were closed, her head thrown back to give him more space and she bit her bottom lip. “Spellman … how long do you think we have until someone comes home?” 

Her eyes fluttered open. “I don’t know. Why?” Sabrina’s mind was in a haze and she didn’t really want to think about her family at the moment. Her skin was still tingling in all the places he had kissed and she wanted him to keep going. 

Nick placed a soft kiss on her lips, peppering her cheek with gentle kisses as he moved to her ear. “Because I plan to take my time with you when we make love for the first time,” he whispered, making her shiver. He leaned back with a devilish grin. “And if we don’t stop now, I doubt we’ll be able to later.” 

Sabrina closed her eyes again, groaning. “You can’t say stuff like that and then not keep going,” she whined, not caring if she sounded desperate. She opened her eyes again when he had the audacity to laugh. 

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t want your aunts or your cousin to walk in on us,” he reasoned, grinning. “And I also don’t want your aunts to think I come over here to defile their niece the first chance I get.” 

She rolled her eyes. “And what if that’s exactly what said niece wants?” 

Nick reached over the side of the bed, smiling when he found their shirts. “Then she has to learn that good things come to those who wait.” He handed Sabrina her shirt before pulling his own back on and chuckled when he saw her narrowed eyes. 

“I’ve always hated that sentence,” she informed him. “I’m not the waiting type.” She pulled her shirt back on, her lips pursed. “Happy?” 

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Oh, I know you’re not the waiting type. You like to be in charge.” Nick pecked her lips. “And not happy, but trust me, this is for the best.” 

“So you say,” Sabrina grumbled, turning on the small radio on her nightstand. She still snuggled back into his side when he tugged her close, her hand on his chest to support her chin. “Now what?” 

Nick was about to answer when Salem jumped up on the bed on his other side. The cat looked at them before turning around in a circle and then curling up into a tight ball at Nick’s side. “I guess he likes me,” the vet noted and started scratching the cat’s chin. 

Sabrina smiled at the picture. “Which is a small miracle, considering the number of needles you had to stick in him.” 

“Hey, not my fault he’s a troublemaker. I think Ambrose is actually onto something.” Nick smiled at the black cat. “But I’m not complaining. That’s why we met.” 

She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Which is why he’s currently the most spoiled cat in town. And I have no intention to stop.” 

“Careful, it might go to his head,” he warned with a smile, when in truth, he wondered whether a new cat bed would be too much. 

“I think it’s probably too late for that.” Sabrina leaned up on her elbow, watching her boyfriend pet her cat. The image brought a bright smile to her face and she kissed Nick before he had the chance to ask about it. There was none of the heat from before in the gesture, both of them instead pouring all of their feelings into the kiss. 

Nick hummed when she leaned back, chasing her lips with his for another quick peck. “I could really get used to this. My girlfriend in my arms, her cat on the other side …" He grinned when Salem stretched, as if understanding that he had been mentioned, and rolled on his back. Nick followed the silent request and started scratching the cat’s belly. 

“I know what you mean. And I think Salem agrees, too,” she said, grinning. Her smile turned soft when the song on the radio changed to an 80s tune. 

“What is it?” Nick asked, noting the faraway expression on her face. 

“This song reminds me of my parents,” Sabrina said, looking at the picture on her vanity. When Nick’s arm around her tightened, she lay back down, her head on his chest. 

“Want to tell me about it?” He pressed a soft kiss to the crown of her head. Nick was afraid that he had asked too much because she was quiet for a few moments, but then she nodded. 

“I told you I was six when they died, right?” Sabrina asked. When he hummed in confirmation, she continued. “So I don’t remember as much as I’d like. But this … it was the day before my dad’s birthday and my mom was in the kitchen, I think she was working on the batter for the cake, singing along to the radio. I was watching her, so in awe that she knew how to do that.” She smiled when she felt Nick’s hand running up and down her spine. “And then my dad came home early and I remember him putting his finger to his lips so I wouldn’t say anything because my mom had her back to the door. He snuck up on her and wrapped his arms around her … she jumped out of her skin.” Sabrina laughed quietly at the memory. “Anyway … when she wasn’t swatting at him anymore for scaring her, he kissed her and pulled her away from the counter and just … started dancing with her, right there in the middle of our kitchen. They were just swaying to that song, holding each other. I didn’t realize it then but, God, they were so in love with each other, Nick.” 

Nick stopped scratching Salem and wrapped both arms around her when her voice became husky at the end, holding her close. His heart broke a little when she wiped away a stray tear. “I’m sorry, I didn’t –“ he started, but Sabrina stopped him by placing a finger on his lips. 

“It’s okay. It’s a good memory.” She replaced her finger with her lips, a soft, reassuring kiss that she was okay. “You know … I’m pretty sure they would have liked you.” 

He smiled at the thought. “Yeah?” 

“You make me incredibly happy, so yeah.” Sabrina grinned at the proud look that crossed his face at her words. “My aunts like you. Zelda because of your Ivy League background and I guess because your pretty easy on the eyes.” She giggled when he pinched her side and kissed him. “And I think you sufficiently impressed Hilda that night you rushed over here when I called because of Salem.” The younger of her aunts had wanted to know all about him at breakfast the next morning, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. 

“Think that means they’ll allow me to stay over eventually?” 

She laughed. “Eventually. And I can already tell you how that’s going to go.” 

He raised his eyebrows. “Now I’m curious.” 

Sabrina bit her bottom lip, grinning at him. “Okay, so: Hilda will want to make up a guest room for you. Zelda will roll her eyes and tell Hilda how we’re a couple and adults and how she shouldn’t treat us like children. Ambrose will sit back and watch their bickering like it’s a tennis match, wishing for popcorn. And by the time they are done, we’re already up here, just like we are now, fast asleep in each other’s arms.” 

Nick had laughed during her explanation, but the ending had him smiling. “I like that outcome, Spellman.” 

“I thought you might,” she quipped, resting her head on his chest again and wrapping her arm around his torso. Sabrina smiled when one of his hands moved to her hair and he started to idly play with her curls. They lay in silence for a while, the radio softly playing, before she spoke again. “This is really nice, Nick.” 

“It is. I don’t want it to end,” he quietly admitted, followed by a soft kiss to her hair. She thought his voice sounded a little raspy. 

“Me neither,” she agreed, pressing a soft kiss over his heart, her eyes closed. 

A few hours later, Hilda stopped by Sabrina’s open door when she saw the light was still on and peeked inside, a happy sigh leaving her lips at the sight. Nick and Sabrina were curled up, holding each other tightly as they slept on top of the covers. 

“What is it?” Cee asked, but Hilda quickly shushed him and pointed at the younger couple. 

“Look at them,” she whispered, smiling. 

Cee pressed a kiss to her hair and smiled. He was well aware that her niece’s new romance tugged at her heartstrings. 

“I’ll just get a blanket for them, I don’t want the dears to get cold,” Hilda said, walking over to the guest room, where she grabbed a spare throw for them. She tiptoed into Sabrina’s room and gently placed the blanket over them, but the gesture still woke Nick up. 

He looked around, a bit disoriented at first, but then his eyes widened when he saw Hilda. “Miss Spellman … I … I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep here …" Nick whispered and started to slowly disentangle himself from Sabrina as not to wake her when her aunt shook her head. 

“Go back to sleep, Nicholas. You wouldn’t want Sabrina to wake up without you,” she said, nodding at her sleeping niece who was shifting in his arms. 

“Are you sure? If you don’t feel comfortable with me in the house …" he started, keeping his voice down. 

“Go back to sleep,” Hilda repeated with a small smile. When he relaxed again, her smile widened a little. “Goodnight, Nicholas.” 

“Goodnight,” he answered, his arm around Sabrina tightening when she nestled closer. 

The last thing Hilda saw as she turned off the lights was how he kissed Sabrina’s temple and her niece smiling in her sleep. 

**************

The next morning, Nick woke up to a soft kiss on his lips. When he opened his eyes, Sabrina was smiling at him. Her hair was slightly tousled and she still looked a bit sleepy, but her eyes shone with a kind of happiness that was contagious. He tangled his hand in her hair and brought her in for another kiss. 

“Good morning,” she mumbled against his lips. 

“The best morning,” agreed, smiling into the kiss that followed and only ended when they had to breathe. He checked the radio on her nightstand for the time and groaned. “Shit, so much for staying in bed a while longer.” He had to open the practice in an hour. There went the idea to cuddle with his girlfriend for at least a few more minutes. 

“I take it you have to go?” 

Nick sighed. “I have a date with a poodle for his yearly routine check in an hour,” he recalled his first appointment. 

Sabrina laughed. “Wouldn’t want to keep that poodle waiting.” She rolled onto her back with a sigh. “Hey, by the way, any idea where that blanket came from?” She picked at the throw that was usually stored in their guest room. 

“Your aunt Hilda was in here last night,” he said. 

“Then you’ll have to explain to her why you can’t stay for breakfast,” she informed him. “She’s probably already cooking up a feast.” 

He groaned again, rubbing a hand over his face. “Great, so I’m not just missing out on making out with you in the morning but also your aunt’s cooking. Fantastic.” 

She laughed, the sound turning in a squeal that Nick quickly muffled with a kiss when he hovered over her. “Don’t laugh at me, Spellman. My pain is very real right now,” he let her know, nipping at her lower lip playfully before he forced himself to sit up. He really needed to get a move on, no matter how much he didn’t want to. 

Sabrina followed, placing a soft kiss to the back of his neck that made him hum. “Sorry.” 

“You’re not sorry.” 

“No, I’m really not,” she conceded, grinning. 

Nick combed a hand through his hair. “Do you mind if I try to fix this at least a little bit before running into any of your family members?” 

She nodded towards her bathroom. “Go ahead. I’ll try to sneak you out when you’re done, but no promises.” 

Once Nick thought he looked at least somewhat presentable, despite his wrinkled clothing, they went downstairs. They had almost made it to the front door when Hilda called for them from the kitchen. 

“Damn creaky staircase,” Sabrina muttered. “I’m sorry, I tried,” she told Nick. 

“I appreciate it,” he said, following her to the kitchen, where Hilda was busy flipping pancakes and Zelda and Ambrose were already sitting at the table, the latter looking at them with a grin that had Sabrina automatically narrow her eyes at her cousin, daring him to say anything. 

“Good morning you two, sit down, breakfast is ready!” Hilda said. 

“I’m so sorry, Miss Spellman, but I can’t stay. I have to open the practice in less than an hour,” Nick explained, more than unhappy about the situation. 

“Oh, then at least let me pack some of these up for you,” the younger aunt said, grabbing the plate with the pancakes just as Ambrose was about to grab another one. 

Sabrina snickered at the look on her cousin’s face before leaning up to Nick. “Don’t even try to argue, you’re not leaving this house without food,” she told him. 

“She’s right,” Ambrose said. “Besides, I’d hazard a guess that you worked up an appetite last night.” 

“Shut it!” Sabrina hissed. She would have kicked his shin, had she been closer. 

“Leave them be, Ambrose,” Zelda said from behind her newspaper, not bothering to put it down. 

Nick felt heat creep up his neck. This was not a conversation he wanted to have right now. Especially not with her aunts in the room. Hilda saved him by handing him a sandwich box filled with pancakes that he accepted gratefully. 

“I’ll walk you out,” Sabrina said, grabbing his hand and leading him out of the kitchen before her cousin could say anymore stupid things. “I’m sorry about Ambrose. I really doubt we’re actually related sometimes.” 

She took the box from him as Nick grabbed his jacket from the coat rack. “Don’t worry about it. Besides, he would have been right if I hadn’t stopped things last night.” The grin on his face was pure mischief as he put the jacket on. 

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, after getting me worked up. Not fair at all,” Sabrina complained. 

He stepped up to her and pulled her against him, leaning down to place a kiss full of promise on her lips. “Let me make it up to you. Stay over at my place this weekend? No early appointments to kick us out of bed.” 

Sabrina smiled. “Sounds like a plan.” She stole another quick kiss from him before handing the pancakes back to him. “Now go, or you’ll have a cranky poodle on your hands.” 

“I’m going,” he laughed. “See you for lunch?” 

“I’ll grab us a table at Cee’s,” she promised. Sabrina watched him climb into his car and gave a small wave as he drove off before closing the door. Despite their morning getting cut short, she could really get used to waking up in Nick’s arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to say hi, find me on tumblr! I go by shotgunkitten over there as well :-)


	4. My Heart Has Found Its Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> First of all, thank you for the lovely feedback! I enjoy writing these little things a lot, so it's great to see you enjoy reading them, as well.
> 
> Now - anyone in the mood for more tooth-rotting fluff? And really bad timing? Look no further!

_I can't stop and catch my breath_   
_And look no further for happiness_   
_And I will not turn again_   
_'Cause_ _my heart has found its home_

_(Dido – Look_ _No_ _Further)_

Sabrina rang up a customer at the checkout of Cerberus Books when her phone pinged. Hilda has begged her to help out on what should have been a free day from her actual job as a media critic with special focus on all things horror, resorting to bribery in the form of a blueberry pie. That’s how the youngest member of the Spellman family found herself behind the register of the bookshop, wearing the witch costume from Halloween three years ago. Once she had put the books in the new paper bags Cee had switched to, handed them to the customer and bid them goodbye with a friendly smile, she grabbed her phone, grinning when she saw the message on her lock screen. 

**Nick [4:38 PM]**   
_Please_ _, please_ _tell_ _me_ _our plans for_ _tonight_ _and_   
_the weekend are still on_ _, babe_

**Sabrina [4:45 PM]**   
_You sound a little desperate_ _, Dr. Scratch_

**Nick [4:4** **9** **PM]**   
_I just got barked at for 20 minutes straight by the world’s_   
_most annoying_ _Shih_ _Tzu_ _. I am_ _in desperate nee_ _d_ _of my_   
_girlfriend in my arms tonight_

Sabrina laughed at the message, warmth coursing through her at the label. Salem’s little fight had brought them together a little less than two months ago and his dramatics might have sped things up slightly when it came to their relationship status, but she still felt giddy. 

**Sabrina [4:51 PM]**   
_I won’t get out of the shop until_ _8, but I’m_   
_most definitely_ _all yours_ _after that_

**Nick [4:52 PM]**   
_I like the sound of that, but what shop?_ _I thought you_   
_are_ _off_ _work_ _today?_

She turned her back to the store and smiled, snapping a quick selfie. 

**Sabrina [4:56 PM]**   
_Aunt Hilda begged me to help out._ _I’m getting a pie_   
_out of it_ _,_ _though_ 😊 

**Nick [4:57 PM]**   
_Any chance you’re willing to share?_ _And are you_   
_wearing a costume?_

**Sabrina [4:58 PM]**   
_I think_ _I could be persuaded_ _, and yes, I am_ 😉 

Sabrina put her phone away when Ambrose approached. 

“From the look on your face, you were just texting that delicious vet who is messing up your sheets,” he observed, smirk firmly in place. 

“Hello Ambrose,” she answered, rolling her eyes. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, that was Nick. We’re making plans for tonight. And no sheets have been messed up yet.” 

Ambrose looked scandalized. “Cousin, have you gone blind? How have you not climbed that man like a tree yet? Are you sick?” He put his hand on her forehead to feel her temperature, but Sabrina swatted it away. 

“We’re just taking it slow, no harm in that,” Sabrina said. They hadn’t explicitly talked about it and some of the makeout sessions in his car or the one in her room didn’t exactly scream ‘taking it slow’, but she wasn’t about to go into detail. 

He laughed. “Slow? I’ve seen the look on his face when he looks at you and thinks nobody is watching. That man looks two steps away from devouring you.” 

She shrugged. “Well, nothing has happened so far.” Her cousin didn’t need to know that she had every intention to change that over the weekend she was going to spend over at Nick’s place. Her bag sat already packed on her bed, she’d just need to go home later to pick it up. 

“You better do something about that soon, cousin. Might relax you a little bit,” Ambrose suggested, grinning. 

“I’m perfectly relaxed,” she countered. “Now can we please drop it? What’s that?” Sabrina pointed at the book in his hands. 

He put it on the counter. “Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Prudence asked me to see if Cee carried a copy. She’s tired of the twins watching the Disney versions.” Sabrina’s former classmate and bane of her existence had taken in her half siblings after her father just left town one day without an explanation. Not that Sabrina considered that a particular loss. 

“So instead she wants to read them the bloodier versions. Makes sense,” she commented. 

“Oh please. The aunties read them to us and it didn’t do any lasting damage,” Ambrose countered. 

Sabrina raised her eyebrow. “That’s what you say.” Although she had to quietly concede that whatever might be considered odd about them probably came from growing up in a mortuary and not from hearing the classic folk tales as children. “So, how are things with Prudence, anyway?” They had taken a break, Prudence needing to focus on her siblings first and foremost. Which hadn’t stopped Ambrose from helping her on her way to settling into her new life, though. 

A small smile appeared on his face. “Good. I feel like she’s relaxing into her new role and the twins are getting used to the new situation as well.” 

“And what about you and Prudence?” While Sabrina had at first balked at the thought of her cousin dating her former classmate, she had come to terms with it when she realized that the other woman made Ambrose happy. And thankfully, Prudence had put the days of torturing her for the fun of it behind her, too. 

“We’re getting there. She’s not ready yet to pick up where we left off, but we’re getting closer.” The smile on his face turned into a smirk and Sabrina internally groaned. She knew that look, had learned long ago to brace for impact. “And just because we’re not officially a couple doesn’t mean that we live in celibacy, dear cousin. Just the other night, she did that thing with her tongue …" 

“Ambrose! Jesus, stop it!” Even knowing he was about to say something outrageous didn’t prevent her from being surprised once in a while. 

He laughed as he watched his cousin blush. “Oh, relax. And who knows, maybe Nicholas has a trick or two up his sleeve as well.” 

Sabrina wanted the earth to swallow her whole. “We are not having this conversation,” she told him and grabbed the book, scanning the barcode as Ambrose already put the money on the counter. 

“See? You’re way too tense,” he teased. When she shot him a look, he held up his hands. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. I need to get this over to Prudence anyway.” Ambrose grabbed the book. “So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, since you were making plans with Nicholas earlier?” 

She shook her head. “I’m staying with him the whole weekend,” Sabrina said, biting her lower lip. 

“Oh, are you now?” Ambrose raised an eyebrow. “That is an interesting development.” 

“There are less nosy people at his place who could interrupt anything,” she pointed out, rolling her eyes when her cousin grinned. 

“In that case, tell Nicholas I said hi and that he better not send you home after that weekend without a nice afterglow.” 

“Go!” Sabrina said, pointing at the door. Ambrose left, his laughter still ringing in his wake. 

Cee came over, an amused expression on his face. “Do I want to know?” 

She shook her head. “You really don’t, believe me.” 

He chuckled, having gotten used to their bickering a long time ago. “Don’t let him rile you up. You know that it just encourages him even more.” 

“Easier said than done when your cousin is one of the most inappropriate people on the planet,” Sabrina countered, smiling when the man she had adopted as her uncle shook his head. Loud clatter from the kitchen got his attention and he hurried to the source of the noise, the cape of his vampire costume billowing after him. 

Sabrina grabbed her phone again and saw that Nick had responded earlier. 

**Nick [4:59 PM]**   
_I’ll stop by later, I need to see this._

She smiled and put her phone away, grabbing a book instead, waiting until someone needed her help. 

Some time later, someone cleared their throat and a book was placed on the counter as a deep make voice got her attention. “Excuse me, can you help me? My girlfriend is this huge nerd when it comes to horror and I’m wondering whether I should get this for her?” 

Sabrina put her book aside and looked at the cover: Dracula the Un-dead. “Well, it’s a decent enough novel, but it’s completely different from Bram Stoker’s original work-“ she started, looking up when she heard chuckling. “Nick!” 

“Hey, babe,” he greeted, grinning and his voice back to normal. It fascinated him how she had just jumped into sharing information about the book placed in front of her, her love for everything horror-related so deeply ingrained in her bones that it was second nature to her. 

“Did you just call me a nerd?” She asked, her head tilted slightly to the side, her nose scrunched up. 

Nick walked around the counter and wrapped his arm around her waist as he pulled her in for a long, gentle kiss hello. He pressed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose once they broke apart, making her smile. “You are a nerd when it comes to horror, don’t try to deny it. But anyway, you were saying?” He nodded towards the book. 

Sabrina smiled. “As I was saying,” she continued, “it’s completely different from Bram Stoker’s work. So if you enjoyed the original Dracula, this might not be your cup of tea. If you’re more into contemporary writing, you could definitely go with something worse. And it’s partly based on Stoker’s own notes.” She leaned up and pecked his lips again. “But your girlfriend already owns that book, so you don’t have to get it for her.” 

“Good to know. I’ll get it for myself then,” he said grabbing his wallet from his back pocket. 

“You know that you don’t have to buy anything because you stopped by, right? And you can borrow my copy,” she offered. 

Nick shook his head. “That’s not how you drive book sales.” 

Sabrina grinned. “You’re the only one who gets this treatment, don’t worry.” She looked at the clock on her phone. “I have an hour and a half to go before I can leave. Are you sure you want to hang out here?” 

He put his hands on her hips and eyed her up and down, taking in her costume. “Absolutely sure. It’s almost six months until Halloween and I’m really enjoying this getup.” One of his hands drifted from her hip to her back and then lower. 

“Nick! Stop it, we’re in public,” she hissed, but couldn’t force the smile off her face. 

He stole a quick kiss from her. “And we’re hidden by the counter from the waist down,” Nick reminded her, accompanied by a teasing squeeze at which her eyes widened. 

“Behave yourself! If you want to hang around until I can go, you need to sit over there and keep your hands where I can see them,” Sabrina instructed and pointed at one of the empty seats at the counter. 

Nick laughed and let go of her. „Fine, I’ll behave.“ He lowered his voice. „For now, anyway. I make no promises when we’re at my place.“ 

He hadn’t been lying, Sabrina thought later. Cee had let her leave a bit earlier as business had shifted to the diner almost exclusively. Nick had taken her to the mortuary so she could change into normal clothes and pick up her bag before they driving to his apartment, stopping for Indian take-out food on the way. Once they had cleaned up after dinner, things had started innocently enough with them cuddling in front of the tv. A few minutes into watching a documentary, Nick kissed her and somehow, she now found herself straddling his lap, her skirt pushed up a little to give her more freedom to move. Nick’s shirt was open and barely hanging on his shoulders, her hands exploring the newly revealed skin. Her own shirt was next to them on the couch and one of Nick’s hands was currently moving up her thigh, his thumb rubbing maddening circles into her skin, while the other held her close. His kiss was bruising and set her on fire, but Sabrina was fine with burning alive if it meant he kept going. 

Nick broke the kiss, his lips drifting to her neck and she tilted her head back to give him more space. His name came over her lips, the sounds somewhere between a whisper and a moan, and he used the hand on her thigh to pull her closer. “Sabrina? Should we move this to my bedroom?” he asked, his lips fused to her neck. She was almost certain she was going to have a hickey, but she didn’t care. 

“Best idea I’ve heard all day,” she agreed, rocking her hips into his for emphasis, making him groan. 

He was about to pick her up and switch locations when his phone rang. Another groan came over his lips, this one, however, in frustration. “Dammit,” he swore. 

“Ignore it,” Sabrina said, playfully nibbling on his neck. 

“I can’t, it’s my work phone, this might be an emergency,” he answered. Only a handful of people had the number, the local farmers among them. 

She sighed and slid in the seat next to him, both of them feeling cold at the loss of contact. 

Nick answered the phone and Sabrina watched him talk, a bit proud at his disheveled state. His hair was a mess, his very kissable lips swollen. She was pretty sure that she presented him with a similar image. Sabrina bit her bottom lip as her gaze drifted to his open shirt. She had been so close to pushing the damn thing off his shoulders entirely. He looked damn irresistible and she leaned in, placing soft kisses on his neck again. 

He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the conversation while internally cursing, already knowing that he had to leave. “I’ll be there soon, Theo. Don’t worry, it’s going to be fine.” A short pause followed and Nick had to bite the inside of his cheek when Sabrina teasingly nipped at his neck. “Alright. See you in a bit. Bye.” 

As soon as had hung up, he dropped the phone on the couch and pulled Sabrina into a searing kiss, making her moan against his lips. When they pulled away, both breathing heavily, he rested his forehead against hers. “You’re evil, Spellman. I was barely able to concentrate on what Theo was saying. And I hate to say this, but I need to go to the Putnam farm. One of their cows is calving and there seem to be complications.” 

Sabrina closed her eyes. “That’s a bucket of cold water,” she mumbled, smiling when Nick pecked her lips. With a sigh, she leaned back, grabbing her shirt and pulling it over her head. “Alright, let’s go then.” 

“You’re coming with me?” The surprise was evident in his voice. He had expected she’d want to go back to the mortuary. 

“Of course,” she replied. “Trust me - you’ll need me to keep Theo busy so you and Mr. Putnam can work in peace.” 

*********************

A few hours later, Nick and Theo’s dad entered the living room of the Putnam house, both looking exhausted, but content. Sabrina had kept Theo out of the way, talking to her friend about anything and everything. She knew how much Theo worried and he would have most likely been more of a distraction than a help. 

“Everything okay?” Sabrina asked Nick, smiling when he nodded. 

“A bit more complicated than it should have been, but Josie and the little one are alright,” he confirmed. He felt the work of the last few hours deep in his bones, already looking forward to a hot shower and falling into his bed with the pretty girl currently beaming at him in his arms. 

Theo jumped up from the couch and dragged Sabrina along. “Come on, Brina, we have to name it!” He stopped in the doorway. “Wait, male or female?” He asked his father. 

“Female,” Mr. Putnam confirmed, shaking his head when his son dragged his friend outside. “Thanks for your help, Dr. Scratch. I realize this is probably not how you wanted to spend your Friday night.” 

Nick shook his head. “Don’t mention it, I knew what I was getting into when I accepted the job here,” he replied. Dr. Philipps had warned him about the possibility of farmers calling after hours, since animals didn’t exactly care about visiting hours. 

Laughter ringing through the night caught his attention and he went back outside to the barn where Sabrina and Theo stood, looking at the calve trying to balance on still unsteady feet. Nick walked up to his girlfriend and pressed a kiss to her temple, surprised when she wrapped her arms around him. He was pretty sure that he smelled like barn and things not necessarily pleasant. “Is there a name yet?” 

“We settled on Ruby. See that small patch of red fur on her forehead?” Sabrina asked. 

“Good name,” he said, smiling when she leaned up to kiss him. 

“Hey, cut it out, there’s a baby around,” Theo joked. Sabrina stuck out her tongue before kissing Nick soundly, making her friend laugh. “Really mature, Brina.” 

Nick chuckled against her lips. “We should probably get going before she gets any reckless ideas.” 

“Hey!” Sabrina protested, but still leaned closer when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

“Thanks for your help, Nick. And for bringing Brina as distraction,” Theo offered. 

“You’re welcome,” Nick answered before looking at his girlfriend again. “Ready to go? It’s almost 1 AM.” 

She snapped another quick photo of the newborn calf, then nodded. “Now I’m ready.” 

After saying their goodbyes, Nick led her to his car. “You surprised me, you know? You weren’t squeamish about any of this. I don’t exactly smell like roses right now, but Josie also wasn’t exactly done yet with cleaning Ruby up when you and Theo went outside.” 

Sabrina frowned. “Of course I wasn’t. Nick, I’ve been friends with Theo since kindergarten. I spent a lot time on this farm growing up. Besides, the whole mortuary thing. I’m not exactly squeamish about a lot of things.” She kissed his cheek. “Besides, I know what you did earlier. You’re allowed to not smell like roses.” 

He kissed her before opening the door on the passenger side for her, pretty sure that he had just fallen even more in love with her. Other girls he had dated in the past had been put off by some aspects of his work, but obviously not Sabrina. “I’m still taking a shower the second we’re home,” he informed her, grinning when she laughed. 

The ride back to his place was uneventful and he carelessly kicked off his shoes the second they entered his apartment, yawning at the same time. 

Sabrina rubbed his back gently, smiling. “Go take that shower. Want me to make some tea?” 

He shook his head. “I just want the shower and then fall asleep with you next to me,” Nick answered honestly. 

“That can be arranged,” she said. “Go on, I’ll get settled in in the meantime.” 

He grabbed her hand and led her to the bedroom. “I know this isn’t what we had planned for tonight. I’m sorry, babe.” 

“Hey, it’s fine. I knew what I was getting into when I went on that first date with you,” Sabrina told him, smiling. “Besides, we always have tomorrow. We could just stay in bed all day.” 

Nick leaned down and pecked her lips. “Sounds perfect.” He let go off her, immediately feeling the loss of her warmth. “I’ll hurry. Feel right at home.” He grabbed some clothes and went into the adjoining bathroom, closing the door behind him. 

When the water started running, Sabrina quickly changed into her pajamas – a flimsy camisole and matching shorts, much like what she had worn the night Nick had come over because of Salem – and neatly folded her clothes, putting them in the laundry compartment of her bag. She grabbed her phone and plugged it into the power outlet near the door to charge the battery overnight before sitting down on the bed, letting her gaze travel. The room was still pretty bare and she suspected that Nick wasn’t too big on decorations. However, there was a bookshelf in his bedroom and she studied the novels he had collected while she waited. 

The door to the bathroom opened sometime later, getting her attention. Nick stood in the doorway in sweatpants and without a shirt on, toweling his hair dry. Sabrina bit the inside of her cheek, enjoying the view probably a little too much. 

“Bathroom’s all yours, babe,” Nick told her with a smile as he took her in. The way she had been sitting on his bed, checking out the books – she looked like she belonged there, in his apartment. 

“Thanks.” Sabrina hopped off the bed, grabbed her small bag of toiletries and kissed his cheek as she passed him with a grin. 

When she closed the bathroom door and wash the makeup off her face and brush her teeth, she noticed a still plastic-wrapped toothbrush next to the sink and smiled at herself in the mirror, shaking her head. It was a small thing, him picking up a toothbrush for her, but it was still sweet – and it told her that he thought she might be staying over more often. 

Sabrina washed her makeup off and brushed her teeth when she noticed something in the mirror and quickly turned around to the shower. Next to the products Nick used were hers, the bottles still untouched. She felt her heart beat a little faster at the sight. How had he known? Had he asked Ambrose or her aunts? 

She quickly rinsed her mouth and left the bathroom. Nick sat on the bed, waiting for her, much like she had earlier. “So … I noticed something in the bathroom,” she started, slowly walking towards him. “You picked up my shampoo and shower gel,” Sabrina said, biting her bottom lip. “How did you know?” 

When she was close enough, he reached out, placing his hands on her hips to tug her closer. “I saw what you use when I accidentally stayed over the other day,” he confessed. “I … I hope that’s okay? I just thought about how I’d like you to stay over more often and it’s stupid for you to take your things back and forth and … I hope you don’t think it’s weird or that overstepped?” 

Sabrina grinned and leaned down to kiss him. “You’re rambling,” she mumbled against his lips. She pulled back slightly. “You didn’t overstep. Don’t ever apologize for paying attention.” She placed her hand on his cheek, smiling when he turned his head and kissed her palm. “It’s incredibly sweet that you picked up my things,” the blonde told him, her smile growing when he seemed relieved. 

“Good. I can deal with sweet,” Nick answered, pulling her closer before kissing her again. The kiss deepened when she sighed against his lips and Sabrina climbed into his lap, their position not too different from how the evening had started. He fell back and pulled her with him, a hand tangled in her blonde curls. 

She pulled back a little, looking down at him, the soft smile on his lips, the warmth in his dark eyes as he looked up at her. “I love you, Nick,” she whispered, only realizing that she had actually said it out loud and not just thought it when his smile widened. 

“I love you, too, Sabrina,” he answered, pulling her back down in another kiss. There was no urgency in it, just the desire to show her exactly how much he meant those words. His earlier exhaustion forgotten, Nick’s hand started wandering as their kiss deepened, inching her top up. From the way she pressed herself closer, he was confident that she came to the same conclusion he had: sleep was overrated anyway. 


End file.
